About DoDEA

All schools within DoDEA are fully accredited by U.S. accreditation agencies. Approximately 8,700 educators serve more than 72,000 DoDEA students.

DoDEA, as one of only two Federally-operated school systems, is responsible for planning, directing, coordinating, and managing prekindergarten through 12th grade educational programs on behalf of the Department of Defense (DoD). DoDEA is globally positioned, operating 166 accredited schools in 8 districts located in 11 foreign countries, 7 states, Guam, and Puerto Rico. DoDEA employs approximately 15,000 employees who serve more than 72,000 children of active duty military and DoD civilian families. DoDEA is committed to ensuring that all school-aged children of military families are provided a world-class education that prepares them for postsecondary education and/or career success and to be leading contributors in their communities as well as in our 21st century globalized society.

DoDEA Europe

DoDEA Pacific

DoDEA Pacific operates 49 schools that serve over 23,500 children of active duty military and civilian employees. Our schools are geographically organized into three districts serving 22 U.S. military installations across the Guam, Japan, Okinawa and South Korea.

DoDEA HQ

All student 504 Accommodation plans are to be completed using the 504 Accommodation Module in the SIS. This module is aligned with DoDEA policy for the provision of Section 504 accommodations for students with disabilities as prescribed in DoDEA Administrative Instruction (AI) 2500.14, Nondiscrimination and 504 Accommodations on the Basis of Disability in DoDEA Conducted Education Programs and Activities, April 23, 2012. Each building administrator should assign a 504 team as well as a team leader to develop 504 Accommodation plans. The person designated as this team leader will need to be assigned the 504-School view rights in Aspen.

Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 is a civil rights statute that prohibits discrimination against students with disabilities.The Section 504 law requires school districts with students with disabilities to be provided reasonable accommodations to allow access to educational programs and associated activities to the same extent as students without disabilities.

A student is considered disabled and may be eligible to be considered for 504 Accommodations if he/she:

Has a physical or mental impairment which substantially limits one or more major life activities,

Has a record of such impairment, or

Is regarded as having such impairment.

DoDEA schools provide a free appropriate public education (FAPE) to students with disabilities by implementing reasonable 504 Accommodations upon establishing that a student has a disability requiring such 504 Accommodations.

Entering 504 Accommodation Plans into Aspen is a 3-step process:

Create a Draft 504 Accommodation Plan.

Add a 504 Accommodation Plan Meeting

Complete/Edit the Draft Plan

To Add a 504 Accommodation Plan

Click the Student top tab.

Select the student that you want to add a 504 accommodation plan for.

Click the Documents side tab and then click the Ed. Plans sub side tab.

d) Plan Review-either an annual review, or a meeting to review current accommodations for possible changes.

Enter the Details of Meeting.

In the Participants section, click the Add button to indicate participants:

a) Click the Person spyglass to select the appropriate participants.

b) A pop-up window will appear, defaulted to Special Education Staff.

c) Click the Team member type drop down menu and select Regular Education Staff.

d) A list of the student’s current teachers will appear.

e) Click to select a teacher, and then click OK.

f) Click the Role spyglass to select the appropriate role, and click OK.

g) To add additional participants click the Add button.

h) Repeat steps a-e, for those participants that are listed.

i) For those participants that are not listed uncheck the Current teachers only checkbox.

j) A list of all Regular Education staff will appear, select the participant and click OK.

k) Click the Role spyglass to select the appropriate role, and click OK.

i) Continue until all meeting participants are included.
(In the pop-up window associated with participants, the Team member type is defaulted to Special Education Staff because it’s a shared pop-up window. If a participant is not included in any of the lists, enter the participants name and title inthe Details of Meeting section.)

Click Save.

Note:
All meetings are associated with a specific Accommodation Plan. To view or add a meeting for a particular plan you must select the plan you want to work with, and then click Meetings from the side sub tab.

To Reject a 504 Accommodation Plan during Initial Meeting

If it is determined during the initial meeting that the student does not have an impairment that necessitates a 504 Accommodation Plan, from within the Ed Plan side tab, follow these steps:

Click the
Details sub side tab.

The 504 Accommodation template will appear.

For
Status select
Rejected .

For
Effective date enter the meeting date.

For
504 Determination select
No .

In the
Summary of meeting and comments not noted above textbox, enter any comments associated with the decision.

Click
Save .

Go to the
Reports menu and print the
504 Plan-DoDEA report.

Have all meeting participants sign the report.

To Complete a 504 Accommodation Plan during Initial Meeting

Click the Details sub side tab.

The 504 Accommodation template should appear:

Enter the Status:

a) Draft (default) = a new plan that is in development, but not yet ‘Active’

b) Active = complete and all parties including parents have signed. This plan is not to be changed or edited.

c) Previous =any non-active plan from prior years. Once a new plan is created, either during an annual review or a requested review, the current ’Active’ plan status must be changed to ‘Previous’.

d) Rejected = the parents have rejected the plan or the team determined accommodations are not necessary. The reason for the rejection should be noted in the Summary of meeting and comments not noted above text box, at the end of the template.

e) Discarded = Parents and the 504 Accommodation Team have determined that this plan is no longer needed, that the student no longer needs 504 Accommodations.

Enter the Effective Date. The effective date depends on the status of the plan. If the status isDraft the effective date will be the initial draft date. If the status is Active the effective date is the date the plan becomes effective. If the status is Rejected the effective date is the rejection date.

Enter the End date, a year from the effective date if the status is Active.

Enter the Review date. The review date is 30 days before the end date for an Active status.

Enter the Parent signed date, the date the parent signed the plan. The plan status becomesActive and the plan cannot be modified thereafter.

Enter the 504 Determination and indicate Yes.

To Add a Major Life Activity

To add a Major Life Activity, click the Add button.

Select the appropriate option from the drop down list.

Click the OK button.

Note:
The Major Life Activity option of Major bodily functions includes the following:

Bladder

Bowel

Circulation

Digestive

Endocrine

Immune System

Neurological

Normal Cell Growth

Reproductive

Respiratory

Note:
If there is a major life activity that is not included in the drop down menu, the activity may be noted in the “Summary of meeting and comments not noted above” textbox.

To Delete a Major Life Activity

Click the checkbox next to the Major Life Activity that you want to delete.

Click the
Delete button.

To Enter the Basis for determining the Disability

Enter the basis for determining the disability in the textbox.
(Max. 200 characters – Use succinct language that is understood by all.

Note:

While a medical diagnosis is appropriate for the section 504 Accommodation Team to consider during eligibility and plan review, a medical diagnosis is not a necessary condition for being found eligible under section 504. The 504 Accommodation Plan being created is for use by all school staff who service a student. The 504 Accommodation Plan template, once printed and signed will be given to all staff on a “need to know” basis. Therefore, the inclusion of a medical diagnosis is not appropriate on this form. A student’s medical diagnosis can be recorded in the Details section of the Accommodation Meetings template. Any medical diagnoses or other medical information used to determine 504 Accommodation should be stored in the student’s health record file and is accessible to the 504 Accommodation Team as needed.

A medical diagnosis (I.e. Asthma, Diabetes, ADD/ADHD, and Anxiety Disorder) is considered private medical information and should not be documented on a public document.

To Add Evaluations used to Determine Eligibility

Click the Add button to list any evaluations:

Enter the Date of the evaluation.

Select the Type of evaluation.

Enter pertinent information in the Description textbox.

Click OK.

Note:
Evaluation type, “Other” is to capture additional documentation provided to include – but not limited to – Student Support Team, or Functional Behavior Analysis, etc.

To Delete Evaluations used to Determine Eligibility

Click the checkbox next to the evaluation you want to delete.

Click the Delete button.

To Enter Student History

Enter in the Student history and any evaluative data considered at meeting textbox, any additional or supplemental information – not previously included in the 504 Accommodation Module – regarding the student’s prior educational needs. (Max. 200 characters – Use succinct language that is understood by all.)

To Add Accommodations Provided to the Student

Click the Multi-Add… button.

A pop-up window will appear:

Select the Accommodation Category

Select the Content Area

Click the checkbox next to the code you want to select.

Click OK.

Note:
Select only the most appropriate accommodations based on an educationally-sound upper limit of accommodations, in order to assure fidelity and accountability. As this list is not an exhaustive list, additional accommodations may be included in the “Other accommodation(s) (not listed above)” text box.

Max. 200 characters – Use succinct language that is understood by all

To Delete Accommodations Provided to the Student

Click the checkbox next to the Accommodation you want to delete.

Click the Delete button.

To Enter a Summary of Meetings or Comments that are not already noted

Enter any additional information in the Summary of meeting and comments not noted above text box.

To Save the 504 Accommodation Plan

You MUST click the Save button any time you add data or navigate away from the 504 Accommodation Plan.

To Print the 504 Accommodation Plan

Within the 504 Accommodation plan, Go to the Reports menu.

Select 504 Plan.

Click Run.

From the pop-up window, print the report.

Note:
Once the report is printed everyone at the meeting must sign their approval to make a 504 Accommodation PlanActive. If a plan is reviewed and changes are necessary, this plan will become Previous and a new Active plan must be created. This includes an annual review, where the current Active plan becomes a Previous plan and a new plan is created.

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